#and like that's fine and fun and cool and valid and that's what fic is for! but a show isnt BAD for committing to itself and its own vision

[harrowharkwife]

i am SO fucking exhausted by mainstream media opinions lately and i don't understand why they're frequently SO different from my own? like i genuinely don't think i am approaching anything from that unique of a perspective as a viewer? maybe it's just that i'm too easy to please when it comes to stories or something but like. how is the mainstream, widely accepted consensus on yellowjackets season 2 is that it's "bad" and "doesn't work as a season" and is "riddled with problems." literally what the fuck are you talking about. this is the most fun i have had watching television uhhhhh literally Ever? you're telling me people hated Burial? how? why? like i don't...i just don't GET it. and i'm not playing dumb for kicks here im like genuinely honest to god confused. that was the single best episode of television I've ever watched in my life. like i get that people have different opinions about things and that's fine but HOW am i in the minority here what am i missing

#most of the critiques I've seen are that it 'focused on the adults too much' and was 'too weird' re: mistys sequence #like??? that was clearly supposed to be funny and campy and silly and artistic and a twin peaks homage? #and the 'focusing on the adults' i... i mean i guess some people are just here for the '96 mystery #and are completely uninterested in the psychological effects it had on all the characters? #i guess some people don't?? care??? about watching them wrestle with that trauma and go on to try to have lives #after something like that? #but like. that's the entire point of the show though. if you hate that why are you watching it every week #with enough investment to like. blog about it and put energy into writing whole ass thinkpieces #so much of media criticism these days boil down into 'i wish this show was Not the show that it is' #'i wish it was this other show that im writing with my twitter mutuals' #and like that's fine and fun and cool and valid and that's what fic is for! but a show isnt BAD for committing to itself and its own vision #like. there is something sooo sexy abt a piece of media that is so wholly itself that you have to meet it where it is #and judge it by its own metric #it creates a whole new unique lens for each and every thing you love! quit comparing apples and oranges! #it's SO fucking fun analyzing different pieces of media through the lens of their own little world and conventions #and guiding principles and plot pacing and what they choose to emphasize and their genre conventions and etc etc #it's FUN! and not to sound like a pretentious film bro dipshit but like why does it seem like this is a dying art these days #'s2 is boring' THEY. THEY ATE A PERSON. ARE WE WATCHING THE SAME THING

[little-miss-dilf-lover]

please can I request soft/ fluff HCs with Peter quill? it’s sinful how little fics there are of him, so had to ask you :) 💕 preferably female but GN is fine too

hii! omg yess that’s so true, there is literally no fics of him! I have searched for so long to find some quill fics but often come up empty, so if anyone has recs, please please send them my way (I need them and him) ive never wrote for quill so hope these are accurate. thank you for requesting, hope you like it💌

headcanons/ imagines

peter quill x f reader

warnings || none

a/n || I may have done this first, sorry to all the others in my inbox, this was something fun to do and hopefully it might kick me into writing again

masterlist + rules

taglist

- it’s a given, but you guys talk about music ALL the time, it’s definitely a very important part of your relationship. maybe you share new songs with him from different decades, but you definitely prefer his music and he loves that you love his music

- he has an abundance of funky, fun and cool graphic tees, he loves to share them with you and probably prefers them on you

- he definitely fell first

- he loves to make you laugh, constantly cracking jokes. doesn’t even need to try and you’d just be laughing or smiling at him. his favourite laughs of yours are when you snort or cackle at his unintentional jokes

- it makes him feel special that you pay attention to the little things he says and when you react earnestly to them

- even though he LOVES the other guardians, he definitely prefers one on one time with you and loves to have you all to himself. he also loves your attention, and he definitely craves time with you

- he has major abandonment issues, so he doesn’t like you leaving his side. you’d be like his lucky rock, or a special penny that he always needs near. you are incredibly special to quill and he is often terrified that he’ll lose you too

- he craves validation, especially from you

- he is a lot smarter than he gives himself credit for. he’s definitely learnt tonnes from rocket over the years

- if he ever has to do a mission separately from you (would take a lot of persuasion and reassurance first) but he always brings back some special for you, something tailored and important to you, something that holds significance

- he’s incredibly sentimental, again not always showing it. he feels safe with the other guardians, but even more so with you. he doesn’t often like talking about his mother (he finds it too difficult) it took a lot of time, but he eventually shared that part of his life with you, and he was glad he did because your reaction was exactly what he needed

- an amazing hugger, he’s super comforting and safe. he has a very homely vibe and instantly makes you feel at ease

- you two have a very fun and easygoing relationship, it’s light and airy, but serious and passionate when it needs to be. a very sincere and genuine dynamic

- he taught you how to speak groot, he’s a great teacher but it took some getting used to

- he likes when you sit on his lap when he steers the ship, even though it’s not technically safe, he loves having you near when he is in the captain's seat (or just on his lap in the seat in general)

- but if need be, your seat is behind him, so it’s not too far away

- he loves teaching you things, he wanted to be the one to teach you about the ship and its buttons and controls

- I had this idea: that you take him to earth (he might not be too fond of the idea at first) but you surprise him with concert tickets so you both could see a band he loves. he’d never stop talking about it, and he’d keep the ticket stubs pinned up so he could look at them all the time

- he would do ANYTHING for you, he goes love blind (may have gotten himself hurt a couple of times to protect you)

- you both invented a special code/ encryption so you can talk to each other over comms. if he is on the other side of the ship (maybe tinkering) he’ll send you a secret message to let you know he’s thinking of you

- you guys don’t really argue (that’s not a bad thing either) if you have a disagreement it’s usually very light, and unserious, he’d probably accidentally make you laugh during it and then everything goes back to normal

- but if you ever do get into an argument, he can be quite stubborn

- he is a man-child (but the best kind!!) he can be immature and cocky but he’s always lighthearted. he’s just a fun-loving goof

- he loves when you call him starlord (but you don’t say it too often, so it doesn’t lose its meaning)

- you helped him process his grief, especially after yondu. once he felt comfortable talking about him again, he’d tell you all of these stories about him growing up

- he no longer drinks to forget, he now prefers a social drink after a mission with the crew instead. he doesn’t feel the need to drink himself silly now that he has you

- the guardians think you’re a great addition to the team and love that you make quill so happy

- you and peter share stories of earth with the others, sometimes you’d bend the truth and say wacky absurd things to joke around with them, but that being said it often flies over their heads, especially drax and mantis

- you two are definitely best friends as well as a couple, the perfect balance of friendship and romance, which is what makes the connection so special

#peter quill #peter quill x reader #peter quill x you #peter quill x female reader #peter quill x fem!reader #peter quill x gn reader #peter quill headcanon #peter quill fanfic #star lord #guardians of the galaxy #starlord x reader #starlord x you #marvel fan fiction #marvel #mcu fanfiction

[marley-manson]

Could you expand on your dislike for the Raphael!Crowley headcanon? I'm fairly certain I know why but your meta posts are always so thoughtful and articulate and I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic

Thank you, I really appreciate it! And fwiw I always enjoy reading your thoughts as well!

And yeah I'm happy to! I mean first I should say that I don't actually like, hate-hate it in fanfic, it's not like an instant back-button for me if it comes up, and I feel like I've seen one or two fics after season 1 where I thought it was fine and it didn't take me out of the story.

But yeah in general I just don't like Crowley being special lol. I like the book vibe where Crowley and Aziraphale are just two... not quite nobodies, given their roles in Eden and the spy allegory of the present day, but certainly not particularly powerful or impressive demon/angels. Crowley and Aziraphale's "superpowers," such as they are, are just their adaptability thanks to living on Earth so long. That's what defines them compared to the rest of Hell and Heaven and sets them apart as uniquely capable of giving a fuck and doing something about the apocalypse. Eg Hastur and Ligur are explicitly more powerful than Crowley, but Crowley escapes them by the skin of his teeth because he's able to break convention by weaponizing holy water, and he's familiar with technology, and more capable of thinking on his feet in general.

I like that all their uniqueness comes from living on Earth with humanity. It resonates with the thematic core of the story, it's fun, and it's interesting. Crowley now being able to perform super impressive miracles and casually resurrect people (something presumably not every angel can do since Aziraphale can't resurrect Edinburgh girl) and read heaven's secret files and potentially stop time in season 1 because he's a former archangel diminishes that vibe to me.

Another con of Raphael!Crowley as a headcanon is that a lot of the time, ime, it feels similar to lost scion of royalty headcanons in other fandoms in an unpleasant way - the way that kind of leans into the idea of someone being inherently superior and worth more by birth (or creation I guess in an angel's case lol). I don't think this is necessarily inherent to the headcanon, or an aspect I think Gaiman will definitely emphasize, but there is that worry lol, especially considering how gary stu-ish Crowley felt to me this season.

Like, why is him being a former archangel meaningful or significant at all? Why does the headcanon exist? What makes Raphael!Crowley different enough from Random Angel #2398!Crowley that it's even brought up as a character detail or plot point that excites people? And I'm not implying that there are no valid reasons (eg exploring why a high ranking angel specifically would fall, or to add some drama for Aziraphale if he finds out and it matters to him, or to add drama between Crowley and the other archangels, etc), but quite often the vibe I get from this headcanon is that Crowley's just inherently more interesting and cool if he used to be a high ranking angel instead of some rando, which is a vibe that puts me off.

Ultimately I just tend to prefer mundane origins to surprise significant origins, and stories about average people (at least in their own context, as angels or w/e) moulded by life who make interesting plot-driving choices rather than inherently unique and special people. And Crowley being Raphael doesn't necessarily make him special, but it does lean in that direction, especially if it's treated as a surprise significant reveal and yk, a source of superpowers.

And to be fair I actually have been thinking about directions this concept could go in season 3 that wouldn't annoy me, and one is to emphasize that archangels aren't inherently special at all and it's an arbitrary designation, and Crowley doesn't give a shit and anyone who does (like other archangels or w/e) is going to be painted as naive and silly and too into hierarchies.

And/or, yk, emphasize that "Anthony Crowley" is emphatically NOT Raphael, regardless of who God created him as. Choose your own destiny. All that jazz. Especially if the Metatron is offering him angelhood again I could see former identity and status being brought into play and held up as extra significant by the antagonists and treated as something to be shut down and dismissed by the narrative, which I would enjoy.

So yeah, at the end of the day I just prefer Crowley as just some guy who happened to get the Earth Agent assignment, rather than the mysterious only fallen archangel.

#also it begs the question of why no one recognizes him since he looked the same as an angel #but that's easily handwaveable. god anonymized the fallen angels in everyone's memories or whatever #or maybe they do recognize him and no one mentions it lol #marley on good omens #text post #good omens spoilers #(lol this is probably longer than it needs to be but enh)

[clockwayswrites]

Soooooooo I totally just finished reading your Bleeding out Bleeding in fic and.....I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!! Is there going to be more of it? It's fine if no but that would be so cool if there would be more>w<

Aw thank you thank you! It was such a fun fic to write, even if out of my norm (or maybe because it was?)

I think there very well might be based on the response! It won't be for a bit. I've learned 3 fics in ao3 stage is too many for me, so I need to get 'Shadow of a Bat' (1 or 2 more chapters) done first and my buffer in 'Like Betta Fish Do' back up to 2 or 3 chapters. That said, summer break soon bby! So I'll have time to catch up! (Though I do need to get art sales up so I can keep making some money during summer, my current University doesn't meter our pay out over summer which is mildly panic inducing.)

If, after I get my other fics in place, the urge is still there, totally expect more! Which I could see. I've been bouncing ideas around with @mokulule and there are some fun ones. Which, have a sneak peak of a few fic/scene ideas below the cut if you want~

Hair cut fic~ because I want something painfully soft. Danny chops his hair off with tin snips, like a disaster, and Jason fixes it up for him. I've been doodling around with Danny's look here some. Will prob end up with some Danny backstory in it.

After returning from being off-world, Dick heads for Jason's apartment. He knows Jason will be mad at him for breaking in. He knows it will set things between them back (and things are already so bad) but he just needs to see that his Little Wing is okay. He just needs to see that Jason didn't die again while he was off world. He can't rest until he does. He doesn't expect to find a wisp of a white hair man standing in Jason's living room. He certainly doesn't expect Jason to touch the guy so casually- so frequently.

(Maybe part of the same as above.) Danny and Tim meet- the other brothers fear explosions and chaos. This is a valid fear.

On a bad patrol out, Jason is hurt badly. He begs his brothers to just get him to Danny. Desperately they hope Jason knows what he's saying and isn't just delirious from the pain. They certainly didn't expect the blood drinking.

#tkiesai #blathersandbits #askme answeryou #dp x dc #dead on main #one stop soup shop #bobi

[gffa]

about the anti post, tbf it wasn't in the ship tag so technically not crossing lanes but it was in the character tags and as a babs fan it can still be annoying going in her tag to see that kinda stuff esp cuz a lot of db antis are bigger dick stans and are more critical and negative towards her than him in subtle and not so subtle ways, you know?

anyway thank you for your response! it reminded me why i love their relationship so much! theres so much negativity surrounding this ship that sometimes i begin questioning myself, wondering if they're really that bad and am i missing something?? so its always reassuring seeing others who feel the way i do and view them positively :)

I hear you, it can be really hard to avoid this kind of thing, even when you're trying to stay in your lane and others are trying to stay in their lane, too. And, it really doesn't help when a lot of anti-Dick/Babs people come into our space to be jerks about it. (I don't know if it happens in reverse, I'm not in those spaces enough to tell, I can only say that I haven't seen it any time I wander outside of my corner. But if it does, that's not cool, either.)(Nor do I know the context of the post you saw, for all I know, it could have struck me totally different than it did for you.) And, yeah, honestly, there does have to be room for everyone to like and dislike their own stuff, even if that means we come across posts we find annoying and it means that we find the complaining too much to be around. We have to have a little grace for disagreements, just as people who disagree with us have to have a little grace with us. That said, you know what I find a thousand times more fulfilling? Yelling happily about what I like, because I don't want the entire experience of Thing I Like to be negative and when I see other people having fun, I want to join in on that fun, too--so, I would suggest that any time you feel frustrated by someone being a jerk, find your favorite comic moment or animated series moment or fic you enjoyed reading, and yell very loudly about how great it was and put that in the tag (both characters and ship) because then I'll see something happy when I go through the tag and it'll remind me why I love the ship, too! Or find your favorite Barbara moments and talk about her, because fandom does sometimes overshadow her and I would love to see more about her view of her life and relationships and family! And, honestly, while plenty of people have perfectly valid reasons to dislike a ship--literally ANY ship, this isn't just about Dick/Babs, but it could just as easily apply to Dick/Kory or Dick/Wally or Dick/Roy or Dinah/Babs--there's always going to be a fair amount of ship war nonsense, where criticism isn't even about what the ship is really like, just that it's not the person's OTP. And then who cares! Use that energy to make positive content for the ship because that's a better use of your time! And you deserve to have a nice experience in fandom, too. Dick/Babs is a great pairing, they're adorable and they're flirty and they love each other and they support each other and they're not afraid to have it out with each other when they need to and they just like being around each other. Whether someone OTPs it or just thinks it's fine enough/is a multishipper instead, it's totally great to enjoy a moment of theirs because they can be utterly delightful and nobody's wrong for loving them. 💕

#lumi.txt #dc #batfam #dickbabs #as a note: I have NO IDEA of the context of the original post #so like i'm not arguing against it or for it #i have no idea if it was fair or unfair or what #this is a very generalized take on my personal experiences in fandom

[starsscarmyceiling]

the only thing i have ever known about merrical is what i've seen you reblog over the years, and i was always fine with that like go off...but now idk, i have seen so much of this pairing on my dash and i find myself being a little more curious? i feel kind of insane going to your askbox about this, but it seems to have certainly intrigued me ngl. and since you are the og merrical i've been following forever (reylo 4 life!), is there any sort of way you could give me a crash course on it? 🥺🙏

Holy gee WOW did I smile so very hard at this nonnie, I can't even tell you omfg. I was kind of wondering if Merrical would reach others in the SW fandom. I just know it's a smaller ship, especially in comparison to Reylo...and let me just tell you, Reylo Merricals, I think are mighty cool people.

Alright, well, I had another ask where I just gave all my fic recs and stuff like that, so you can find all of that here!

Okay okay okay, damn...where to start? I mean coming from Reylo you're still getting that enemies to lovers the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine goodness. Just imagine like...a Dark Rey/Jedi Ben AU? Yeah that seems like the right vibes to me.

Alright, so like the absolute 🤌thing🤌 for Merrical imo is all of the unspoken understanding between them. When I first played Jedi Fallen Order, what truly got me to start shipping is the moment Cal looked into Merrin's eyeballs and dropped the "I know what it's like to lose everything" line, like damn. That fucking--that ruined my life. He looked at her and validated her and then told her that how she'd been treated was wrong, and I just like fainted the old Katie can't come to the phone right now because she's dead. Here are two people, who both have been through so much, all of the same traumas of losing their entire people at such a young age and they found each other...like...do you know how special that is??

I think that is just another thing that I love about these two. There really is so much unsaid understanding between them that it seems like no matter the universe, they just seem to just naturally want to be around each other, and maybe they don't always understand why, but what it has is the potential to turn into is like *chef's kiss* of building something together that may have a foundation of joint trauma, but can then turn into everything they have been seeking and not even knowing they were. About two broken people, finally feeling like it's okay that they are, like they don't need to be fixed, like they don't need to explain, and they can just be.

It's about what they can build together.

They are so very healthy, have such amazing communication, and ISTG Star War if you don't give us this one pairing that won't end in tragedy I am setting everything on fire.

Alright, so obviously I would suggest playing JFO and then Jedi Survivor to get like the full story, but if you're not a gamer and want to commit to watching the "movie" version JFO, I thought this one was the best of the ones that weren't like 5+ hours but still providing enough context with cut scenes and some game play. I know it's still long but I tried to pick the best one under 3 hours!

For the JS movie. I thought this one was also a good balance of game play and cut scenes to get context. Let me just, like wow Respawn really made this game for the Merricals. Oh shit, these two are going to fuck your life up...in like the best way.

Also...HEH you're still gonna get all the freckle and hair appreciation in the world. Yes, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Fellow Merricals, if there was like anything that I left out that you think is important, just comment on here! I hope that was as succinct, you know, for me, and efficient of a Merrical crash course that I could give you anon.

This was fun, thinking this all out, and I truly hope you enjoy just another lovable set of space idiots over here. Also don't be shy! If I've successfully converted you, please show some love to the amazing authors and artists that this fandom has to offer.

AW YEAH guys we could have another convert to the house of Merrical I am kicking my feet in the air and screaming love all of us always 💖💖💖

Also, yes, our home base is Applebee's. Come join me for a drink sometime 😏

#i loved this anon so much it made me smile so hard #i hope to see you soon anon! #merricals are amazing people #it is like SUCH an incredible and supportive fandom space #YAY! #merrical #ask

[daydadahlias]

sorry i’ve just stumbled across your blog after reading one of your lashton fics, but is it just me or is this fandom very y/n fic focused… (people say rpf is bad when y/n is RIGHT THERE) anyways from an outside view (i don’t want to be rude!) this fandom i think struggles with the fic fests and things because there are no “main” ships, if that makes sense. idk sorry you’re an amazing artist and it makes me sad you aren’t able to participate in all the fests you want!

so!! thank u for popping by!! im now going to disagree with pretty much everything you've just said!!

so, first and foremost, yes, I do think we have a large x reader population here (as is the nature of any rpf-based fandom) but I dont think that relates at all to fic fests, especially considering that none of the fic fests I've even seen done in this fandom have allowed x readers to participate.

And also, please don't come into my inbox talking shit about other writers ever, it's not cool <3 x reader is no less valid than slash fic <3 and it is quite simply just a matter of personal preference. No matter what, people are writing what makes them happy, and it's pretty shitty to talk down to it.

second - as I have said a plethora of times now - this fandom struggles with fic fests currently because of the lack of writers/readers and engagement. No other reason.

The fact that we don't have a main ship is actually what has, in the past, made fic fests so accessible and fun for everyone!! because we all get to write what we want!! and having no main ship actually inspires MORE community, not less.

third, I appreciate the concern for me but also I'm totally fine not doing fic fests! i don't really like putting deadlines on my writing, in truth, especially when im so busy in other areas of my life rn. Ive just been getting a lot of asks about it lately from other people expressing interest (which has really thrown me for a loop tbh lol) and I've been explaining why there aren't any being hosted right now.

HOWEVER, if someone wanted to host a fic event, i see no reason why they couldn't. No one's actively stopping them. It's just a matter of... would anyone want to join if they did host it? and, based on the interest form one of our previous fic hosts made earlier this year, the answer is no!! no one really has the time or motivation these days!! and that's just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.

#i love the energy of 'stumbled across your blog' #like you tripped and fell in a hole and then ur looking around at like 'pillow princess ash' tags #and you're like 'oh my god what is this place' #it depends on where you go for sure bc. like. twitter is PREDOMINANTLY x reader #and then tumblr has a healthy amount too #ao3 used to be solely slash but i have seen an uptick in x reader on ao3 #but it never gets much interaction bc that's just not the right platform for that medium!! #like slash can't do well on twitter for instance #but i dont really know what baring x readers have on fic events #and PERSONALLY if we're being honest !! #i think fic events should have all kinds of fics #x readers and slash and OC and the like #bc i think we're all part of the same community. #and i wouldn't want anyone to feel left out! #pigeon #anon #dont talk poorly of ur fellow 5sos fans my friend #we're all here drooling over the same hot guys

[sepublic]

Congratulations on the Boscha validation. This episode was a treat in so many ways.

Pal lemme tell you. Back in Season 1B I was a BIG Boscha fan, in part because she had just enough to work with, but also enough empty space for me to speculate freely as I wanted. So I write what was originally my longest TOH fic at the time (and would be for two and a half years, until I finished Understanding Luz last week), and I’m really happy with it. Sure it was released like the day before Agony of a Witch, which I KNEW would probably distract. But honestly I just couldn’t think of a better time so I did it anyway.

That said, I wasn’t getting my hopes up. I had a feeling and wouldn’t have been surprised if the show would move on from Boscha, who’d serve her purpose. If it had more grandiose storylines to pursue than a Grudgby bully’s, so when Season 2 aired in its entirety and she faded into background obscurity, I accepted it! It is how it is, Hexside wasn’t even meant to be as prominent until executive meddling, and even then Boscha wasn’t THAT prominent there anyhow. When she didn’t even appear in Labyrinth Runners, I shrugged because that was that.

But literally the day For the Future aired, I was waiting in anticipation for the release that night and I skimmed through my old Boscha fic for the first time in forever. Reminisced thoughtfully, nostalgically, and ultimately was like Yeah I don’t expect her to show up at this point beyond a cameo, but it was fun imagining and hoping for this type of arc for her back in the days of Season 1B. I’d noticed Amelia and Cat’s presence as puppets in a previous official trailer, thought it was cool because of my Boscha fic and all, but didn’t think it’d GO anywhere, right?

And then I began watching For the Future. I see Boscha, Amelia, and Cat in Skara’s story. I’m already hyped for the cameo of seeing them trying to defend Hexside and failing of course, because we’d already seen Cat and Amelia as puppets earlier the episode. But then Boscha manages to avoid being turned into a puppet, is even saved with the sacrifice of her friends! And then she gets away when the adults charge in as backup! And I’m like okay, so she’s still at Hexside!

AND THEN THE REVELATION THAT BOSCHA IS IN CHARGE. And her whole subplot with Kikimora, her obvious apprehension over losing Cat and Amelia, especially after Amity and then Skara. AND THEN HER TALK WITH WILLOW, the parallels, the callout, because the writers are still interested in that history! And not just Boscha’s history with Willow but with AMITY, as Boscha becomes a bit of an antagonist...

And then she kneels. And suddenly my speculation/fanon of Boscha having this deeply unrequited crush on Amity, this unhealthy admiration and hero worship upon a pedestal. It was canon. The unhealthy co-dependency of it all, Boscha didn’t even want to be the one in charge in their friendship, as long as Amity was by her side! She was fine with being the lackey to Amity, just like Jasper and Lapis from Steven Universe, who I def pulled inspiration from in writing I thought we were Friends. 

The way Amity still has this obvious power and growth over Boscha, who isn’t exactly a threat to her, but definitely an obstacle. The gentle yet firm way she reminds Boscha that yeah, they do have a messed up history and she can see the issues that Boscha struggles with, she was a bully herself! But ultimately Boscha is her own person and Amity implores her to take responsibility and mature as she did... AND SHE DOES!!! She helps our kids hold back Kikimora, just enough for them to barely teleport to the skull in time!

Then the end credits, THAT image of Boscha, lonely, scared, isolated. Being ‘consoled’ by Kikimora, unable to participate in the antics of these losers around her because she’s still so insistent on being strong and without vulnerability. The implication that she gave into Kiki’s advice, because despite her general disdain for authority, deep down I read this as being due to authority’s failure to take care of her. 

But Boscha still wanted and needed a benevolent authority in the absence of actual parental love, which was why she latched onto Amity so hard. And then accepts Kikimora, because her hyper-aggression and independence is all just a coping mechanism over the sense of loneliness and parentification that Boscha’s suffered through. How her past forced Boscha to grow up fast to take care of herself, but she craves someone who can take care of her, guide her, because she’s so tired of doing that for others when she’s never been on the receiving end!

She’s just a deeply troubled kid. There was more to her than just mean high school bully, not that she wasn’t that either, but. Everything in For the Future, her storyline and resolution with Amity, the scenes with Willow. It felt like the PERFECT redemption and recovery ending that I thought we were Friends didn’t have, but could’ve, left open-ended due to the possibilities of canon. And canon delivered...!

Considering the writers put Boscha to the side for a whole season, with a very limited Season 3 to work with, I never imagined her getting a redemption arc of her own, an acknowledgement of her pain, a canonization of her codependency and twisted worship of Amity, and deep-down need for someone to rely on herself. Boscha’s not important enough, there’s not enough time, they wouldn’t prioritize her anyway. But they did and I’m ELATED for it, I wonder if part of the Doylist reasoning was gratitude towards Eden Riegel (Boscha’s VA) and her work in directing the entire voice cast of TOH. And/or if this was always planned...

Either way, with Eden being our only source of Boscha breadcrumbs throughout Season 2 during her appearances in Cissy’s Post-Hoots, and... This really is a dream come true for me, as was Edric’s storyline in Reaching Out. The minor characters I projected a lot of fanon and characterization and backstory onto, ultimately my fanfics for them DID pay off! The reading and speculation was confirmed! And it is SUCH a treat as someone who’s been engaging with and analyzing this show since it was first announced in 2018, you cannot believe how rewarding it feels. 

Season 3′s titles spell out Thanks For Watching, and it honestly does feel as if this Boscha arc was a bone thrown out to her fans and those long-time viewers who engaged with the show that deeply, as thanks for sticking it through the whole way and treating TOH with so much love. And I have to say, THANK YOU to the crew members who made the show to begin with...!

#the owl house #the owl house boscha #ask #reply

[dxringred]

HELLO FELLOW ST/DDIE NOT-QUITE HATER BUT JFC DO THE DOUBLE STANDARDS REALLY NEED TO BE SO OBVIOUS?

i love the fandom, but this issue has been present since. forever. since steve stans were shitting on nancy after the halloween party scene, making fics and long-ass paragraphs bemoaning steve’s puppy-dog eyes when he heard that nancy say that she was pretending to be in love. as if the scene wasn’t about NANCY and her grief??

and then again! when robin came out, the initial “holy shit, we finally have some canon queer rep of quality!! robin’s such a cool character, and this was a beautiful scene!” people immediately latched on to the fact that she didn’t label herself explicitly as a lesbian in order to shove her and steve together. and again, the steve stans raved about what an excellent ally steve was, when the scene was about ROBIN and pushing past her obvious fear to tell steve something like that.

and most recently, with the vickie and robin scenes. i personally don’t ship them, but even that was, apparently, content tailored for the steve stans. the fact that the directors might be leading into an actual romance life for a canonical lesbian character (though nancy has literally been right there. even the actors are in support of the ship)? unimportant because look!! look how proud steve looks in that scene, look how happy he is for robin. wtf.

steve’s a great guy, a fun character and he’s got depth and kindness etc etc. eddie… i mean. he’s also really cool and i get why people like him, i really do. but he barely had a season’s worth of character development, and already he’s a fan favorite. i like the ship, but i hate the fact that once again, the fandom is full-on obsessing over the “cute white boys” and neglecting the wlw pairings

and it’s so much more than a bunch of people upset that their ship isn’t as popular. this is an actual issue, where the lack of wlw content and attention is forever being overshadowed by the mlm pairings.

damn, i didn't even know it was possible to send asks this long-

sadly, i don't know any history of the stranger things fandom since i've never watched the show, let alone engaged in the fandom, but i can attest to the rock/ie one since i've seen several posts mentioning how steve looked like a proud parent or w/e, and then others being all "poor steve" since he's single while robin has vickie and nancy has johnathon. (for now.)

on his own, steve's an okay character to me. his development was good until 4B messed it up with him latching onto nancy again, but even with that, i've never gotten the impression that there's a lot of. depth to him? like it's very much the basic character arc of "popular highschool asshole realizes it is bad to be an asshole and that he actually cares for others". totally fine but hardly groundbreaking lol. and if i see his chest hair one more time-

i haven't watched the show, so i can't attest to eddie outside of gifs, but again. nothing special from what i've seen. his little arc seems to be 'manning up'? instead of fleeing like he did with chrissy (which i thought was a perfectly valid reaction, frankly), he dives into lover's lake, helps save steve and then sacrifices himself which ultimately then lowkey negates the development because he's fucking dead lol.

maybe it's just because he's a far cry from my type of male character, but. yeah, don't get the fan favorite thing. don't get the petition with 75k signatures. don't get the ship (no issue with it yet though) when they barely had any scenes. it's definitely a case of them both being (arguably) attractive white men. cishet girls in particular will eat that shit right up.

the fact that ste/ddie shippers are now going around reporting ronance shippers and calling them names for giving them a taste of their own medicine and/or politely asking them to tag their fucking fics correctly is disgusting imo. it's giving lesbophobia. they seem to think their ship is more important, and therefore nobody else's tags and spaces matter. the way they behave, you'd think the average age of that fandom is 12. (and i wouldn't be surprised if it is, honestly.)

the only canon lgbt+ character is wlw. (i can't speak for will. i don't know if his sexuality has actually been definitely stated yet, and it hasn't in the show as far as i'm aware, so. vickie also isn't confirmed anything as far as i know.) and yet somehow mlm pairings with minimal scenes are heavily overshadowing any wlw content. (first it was billy/steve which. what the fuck, actually. now it's ste/ddie.) i don't know what the huge disparity is rooted in (lesbophobia, misogyny, mlm fetishization, all of the above) but it's fucking annoying and boring. broaden your horizons. get a grip. uggggghhh.

#ask #ronance #are there any other lgbt+ characters other than robyn? #like i said #haven't watched the show #so idk anything about minor/side characters #those are the only three i know of #and will is only (apparently) coded afaik #also no i dont know why i spelled robin that way

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

Things I notice Across Fandoms as someone who has been in it for Around 15 Years

There's always that one fic you can't help but reread all the time even if you left the fandom cause it's so good.

There's also that one fic everyone else loves and you hate

People who write swears like 'f**k' or the such tend to be younger then most and don't know that it cheapens their work to do this.

Fanon takes the reins in a lot of fandoms and you have to refamiliarize yourself with canon at least once in a while to make sure you don't fall down the hole.

Some people only watch the movie/anime and it shows.

Not everyone agrees on if a piece of fanon is good or not, and that's okay. You don't have to read or write it. But you don't get to come on fanfics and complain.

There's this sort of 'lull' from time to time where all the fandom newbies kinda realize they're being jackasses so they calm down and then things go great until the next batch comes in and starts acting like assholes.

People hate taking responsibility for their actions so if they complain about YOU letting them access things it means they're innocent lambs. Nothing pisses them off more then pointing out THEY chose to read/look at your stuff.

Every so often there's a character who everyone agrees on is a certain way but there are a couple of people who disagree. Arguments over this are never settled because they're to minor in canon.

Some interpretations of canon feel wrong, and guess what? That's okay.

Disliking characters is fine and so is writing posts about why you don't like them. Making posts complaining about specific people who do like them is not okay, so is sending death threats. General complaints is fine. Vice versa as well.

Comment etiquette goes through various waves as well similar to the above comment about fandom newbies.

People who admit to starting imaginary drama are trash and should not be followed. (A TikToker admitted to sending herself fake hate and then joked about how her followers were upset on her behalf. That's just gross)

Anyone who says they refuse to read anything not canon but read fanfic or write it are kind of dumb cause fanfic is NOT CANON and everything they write is fanon.

People who hate the main character tend to either be very young and trying to be edgy or are just... kinda weird in my opinion. Especially if it's all about how they're a wimp/weak and refuse to give them any of their good canon traits but praise the hell our of some other character for being better when they're either just more violent or cruel. Like dude.

That being said, I only think the above because for me the fics hating on the main character come this way. If you don't like the MC, I respect that I just wonder why you're watching/reading it.

Femininity is a concept that people struggle with and it leads to the influx of 'not like other girls' ocs/gender bends.

Speaking of gender bending: Let people live. It's not bad or weird to make an MC a girl or a boy. You having issue with them doing it to make a gay ship straight is valid but not all of them are like that. You're not cool for hating on it.

Some fandom jokes get stale. IE: Completely oblivous Todoroki Shouto.

A/B/O can be really good interpretations of canon and the trope, good stories discussing how culture and such changes with this dynamic, porn, or just a fun addition to canon. There is a lot of variation of it and if you like it who cares?

Religion is really fucking annoying in fanfics and we can TELL even if you try to write around it. If your character is religious fine, and if the canon character is fine, but dude stop writing atheist/non-Christian characters Christian or with those values. Especially if they're in a culture where the religion isn't prominent.

[loveislarryislove]

2022 Writing Reflection

1. Number of stories posted to AO3: 18 (holy shit???)

2. Word count posted for the year: 107,382 (double holy shit?????)

3. Fandoms I wrote for: One Direction, Critical Role, Tamora Pierce, The Old Guard, Percy Jackson

4. Pairings: Larry, BeauJester, Immortal Husbands, Shiall, Solangelo

5. Story with the most…

Kudos: I Can Build Your Heart A Home

Bookmarks: I Can Build Your Heart A Home

Comments: Hash Brown, Egg Yolk, I Will Always Love You

Hits: Your Skin On Mine (I'm Losing Control)

6. Work I’m most proud of (and why): 

So I have two fics I want to shout out for this. First is Do You Think The Tides Know, which is a super personal concept to me and one I’ve been wanting to explore for a while. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever written before, and I’m not sure if I’ve ever read anything quite like it -- where from the beginning it’s clear that the main character won’t get the guy, where the endgame pairing doesn’t involve our POV character, where no matter what we’re rooting for we know it involves heartbreak. It’s complicated and it’s messy and it’s imperfect and it’s painful and I think that’s important, you know? That’s real. That’s life. And that’s okay. 

I’m also really proud of my Reverse Bang fic, they say looks can kill (and i might try), which just posted this week. I’ve always been intimidated by worldbuilding, but the art and prompt from @haztobegood were just... so vivid and interesting and exciting, and I could feel the world begging to be explored. I was initially afraid I wouldn’t be able to do it justice and realize the ideas the way I wanted, but I’m so glad I did it anyways. I don’t think I did a perfect job, there are still gaps that I’m aware of as the person who created them, but I also think that overall I did a damn good job! Go me!  

7. Work I’m least proud of (and why): 

I’m also going to mention two here. First is my Emelan fic for Troped: Chapters -- I had some fun with the concepts but I just wasn’t feeling the romance that was the center of the prompts, and I wasn’t sure how to make everything play out effectively. Second is my Camp Half-Blood AU for Astrofest -- I had a much bigger, grander, more complex idea mapped out based on all the different positive and negative meanings of the card, but I just bit off more than I could chew in terms of time and energy, so the fic I wrote instead was a much simpler spur-of-the-moment idea. It’s a fine story, I don’t dislike it, but it wasn’t what I’d wanted to write initially. Still, I’m glad it nudged me to start exploring that ‘verse -- I wrote a PJO fic a month or two later and I’d like to write more! I might also revisit the more complex idea someday, I still think that it would be a super cool story! 

8. Share or describe a favorite review you received: 

I received a ton of wonderful comments and tags, but I think some of my favourites were the appreciation for the check ins and conversations around kink in fics like it's always me that ends up getting wet. We love boundaries and consent!!! Having that level of trust with your partner is what most interests me about kink, so it felt really validating and rewarding to see that reflected and appreciated. 

9. A time when writing was really, really hard: 

Looking at my writing tracker, I only wrote like... 800 words in March, so I guess numerically you could say that was hard, since I didn’t do it. 

In the other direction, in August and September I published TEN fics (totaling about 46k words), so that was. a lot of writing. why did I do this. I’m so proud but also kind of concerned. 

10. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you:

Is it too unspecific to say “all of the smut”? Like wow, usually I don’t really write smut, but this year I was apparently VERY INSPIRED. And I kept writing such huge word counts in one go, wow. 

11. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

Oh man, it’s always hard to pick just one piece (especially without it getting ridiculously long), but let’s go with this snippet from Do You Think The Tides Know, as Zayn says goodbye to Louis at the end of the summer:

Zayn pulls Louis into a tight hug, trying to memorize the feeling of his body, the sound of his heartbeat, the smell of his hair.

“Don’t be a stranger, yeah?” he says, trying to keep the catch in his throat from showing in his voice. “I know we don’t usually talk that much outside the summer, but… you have my number, if you ever, like, have questions or just… if you ever need anything. Call me.”

Louis chuckles. “I know,” he says. “You’ve always got my back. Thanks, man. You’re a great friend.”

Zayn squeezes his eyes shut for a moment, then forces them back open. “Good,” he says, stepping back. “And… good luck.”

A bright smile dawns across Louis’ face. Zayn wishes it was for him, wishes he could make Louis look like that. But failing that, he hopes that the person who does make Louis smile like that – he hopes he never stops.

12. How did you grow as a writer this year:

This is kind of unspecific, but I think just... being more willing to try things that are unfamiliar and step outside of my usual comfort zone. That willingness feels like growth, and doing that creates growth. 

13. How do you hope to grow next year:

Part of me wants to say writing self-motivated fics, stories I tell just because I want to and without outside boxes I have to fit into or people holding me accountable. But maybe the real growth would be acknowledging that those outside influences and motivations are valid, and if they work for me, that’s not such a bad thing. 

14. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc): 

gotta be @alwaysxlarrie. I can always count on lauren to hype me up or help me brainstorm or get my creative gears turning or tell me if a sentence or moodboard looks weird or celebrate my accomplishments. and I love returning the favor! mutual brain furbies for life -- you the best! 

15. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year: 

The “weird holiday traditions” in The Streetlights Are All Saying Your Name are both real traditions that my family had when I was growing up

I work in a pet store, and so for All Ewe Need Is Lamb, I used information and products and even photos from my work 

As I mentioned before, Do You Think The Tides Know is based on a really personal experience -- it’s not like 100% true to life, but the idea of dating someone while in love with someone else, and knowing that the relationship had an end date, but celebrating the happiness and fun and learning in the meantime -- that was real to me, and super meaningful. So grateful for everyone else who has connected to the fic as well!

And this is kind of the inverse and a slightly more spicy one, so look away if you don’t want to know, but. Writing for the @1dwatersportsficfest ultimately led to me telling my fiancée that I was into that. So. I guess that’s my writing showing up in my real life!

16. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers: 

If you’re afraid of doing something because it feels out of your comfort zone or what you’re used to doing -- that’s where the growth is. Find people who encourage you to do it anyways, who make you feel excited to go there, who celebrate your achievements. It’s so much less scary with friends, and you’ll probably surprise yourself with how much you’re capable of.  

17. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year: 

With the publication of my fic for the 1D Reverse Bang this week, I am officially finished all my current projects! Which isn’t to say I don’t have forgotten half-finished projects, but I don’t have anything I’m actively working on at the moment. It’s exciting and terrifying at the same time. What will I daydream about on the bus now???

I’m feeling called back to my Soft Established Relationship Vax’ilmore Fluff Series, so might write a couple of those next (then again, I said I’d do that last year, and that lasted about 8 days so. we’ll see). I’m also eyeing up some of the fests for this coming year (I need external motivation, it’s a problem) and @1dtourdeficfest @faithinthefutureficfest @1dastroficfest are all on my list of contenders.

18. Tag some writers whose answers you’d like to read:

I’m not sure who all has already done this so apologies if I’m tagging someone who has already done it (or already been tagged a billion times), but: @alwaysxlarrie @haztobegood @zanniscaramouche @andfollowthesun @larry-hiatus @panye @littleroverlouis @beckydoesthings @finelinegynandromorph @paranormalbabydoll @thebreadvansstuff

#writing #mine #my fics

[rollercoasterwords]

i started reading the hand that feeds last night and i’m already on chapter 38 i love it so so much. dorlene enemies to lovers is now my favourite trope it just makes sm sense.

here are some of my fav parts of the fic bc i need to talk about them

-marlene and dorcas both thinking the other has a master plan to annoy the other one and that’s the only reason why they can’t stop thinking about each other

-the marlene and sirius friendship dynamic owns my heart i love them sm

-lily’s reaction to when marlene asked if she was okay with her being queer and thinking that marlene was asking about her not going to dinner

-literally everyone thinking that marlene and sirius were dating and dorcas and regulus were also dating (including marlene and dorcas they were so clueless). it was a very funny parallel like what is it with assumptions about the black brothers and lesbians being together?? silly heteronormativity these people are all gay! (bar regulus i don’t think anything to do with his sexuality has been mentioned so idk about him)

-james telling sirius that liking blokes doesn’t make you gay

-the irish slang was so accurate too? like as an irish person i read the chapter where marlene is back home and was like wow cool this writer is irish!!! i was so surprised to see you asking about the slang in the end notes

-the conversation (is conversation the right word?? argument might be more accurate??) where they were both like ‘i’m not dating sirius/regulus i’m lesbian did you not realise that’ was so perfect i loved that chapter

-all of the yelling at each other and then making out immediately after moments omg, especially their first kiss

hello it's taken me a bit to respond to this but THANK U this message made my whole entire week i am kissing u over and over again on the forehead mwah mwah mwah 💋

ok let me respond

-marlene and dorcas both thinking the other has a master plan YES that was so fun to write lmao they are both so stubborn they were like "surely the only reason i could possibly be thinking this much about her is if she has some nefarious evil plot to make me obsessed with her. surely there is no other reason!!"

-marlene and sirius friendship dynamic yesssss i love them so so much to me marlene and sirius have a lot of overlap in their personalities that helps them sort of get each other in that specific way where....it's like a person who's not ur best friend but they know secrets about you that no one else knows. perhaps that is just the shared homosexuality tho lol

-lily's reaction STOP that part was so fun to write too haha even if it's not like the most realistic thing in the world i knew that i wanted to make marlene's friends supportive like i just didn't have the energy in me for a drawn out homophobia plot line so marlene being like so anxious about how they'd respond and lily having already moved past it and being like huh??? do i care if you skip dinner?? OH do i care if ur a lesbian lol no it's fine 💖 so special to me

-everyone thinking that sirius + marlene and dorcas + reg were dating ajskdjdkdk that bit was literally so self indulgent and just me having fun i simply love a sprinkle of miscommunication especially when it leads to angry love confessions 😍

-james telling sirius that liking blokes doesn't make you gay YES another one of my favorite scenes lmao there are like...2-3 scenes that i had entirely mapped out in my head before i even started writing the fic and that was one of them i just think it's so fucking funny

-the irish slang literally u have no idea how validating that is to hear i have never set foot in ireland so i was literally just googling like. "irish slang list" and sweating and shaking as i hoped for the best

-the 'i'm a lesbian argument' HELP they were both so impossible i loved that scene the way they were both like "i've been having sex with u for months?? how did u not know i was gay??" "well i've been having sex with YOU for months?? how did u not know I was gay???"

-all of the yelling and then immediately making out yessss hate sex my beloved ❤️ i just cannot get enough of it so i'm glad u enjoyed it too lol

anyway i hope u are continuing to enjoy the story sending u all the love in the world for taking the time to send this long message 💕 💞

#the hand that feeds spoilers #thtf #the hand that feeds #literally this was so fun to respond to thank u so much!!! #ask

[catgirl-catboy]

Oh valid! Sleep is good!

Honestly I understand why you say that Marco should be explored more as a character, but I also feel like it's kind of cool that there are so many great characters that go unexplored in One Piece? It honestly really makes the world feel big and lived in that you could have an entire canon that focused around a different protagonist within the same universe and write maybe the same number of chapters if not more? And have it fit seamlessly into what is already written?

It's honestly one of my favorite things about One Piece shipping compared to some of my other fandoms is just how deep the world is, from characters to actual worldbuilding, you can basically always add something on that isn't explored well in canon and now you're making headcanons! Now you're writing fanfic! Now you're drawing art! And it all just happens and it doesn't feel as contradictory as in shows with narrower scopes.

If I want to fan out about Marco or Buggy or Katakuri or any number of other characters that don't touch Luffy's life for very long but still have a super interesting story? There is so much for me to imagine!

Also, exploring Marco more (except if they made him a novel, like Law or Ace) would probably require Oda to explore Marco more in the context of Luffy's story, and what I'm honestly interested in is Marco as his own protagonist. If that makes sense?

Sorry, that was probably a super long way of saying that... whoops.

Law: God I know, but it is also fun to imagine. This is one case where it would make sense for some more canon clarification because he spends so long on board the sunny with everyone, but also it's fine narratively to leave it up to the imagination. But yeah, all those little interactions, platonic or otherwise, are super fun. I love the idea of occasional smoker!Law sharing a cigarette with Sanji while both compartmentalize issues with their own self-worth by refuting the other's negative self-talk. Or Law training with Zoro. Reading with Robin and hating on the government together. Talking about medicine with Chopper...I could go on. Anyway, all that to say if you DO ever find that Law & Brook fic, I'd love to read it. It sounds awesome.

For kidlaw I mostly go off vibes? A lot of my draw to the ship initially was fanart if I'm honest. I don't even know that I have anything bookmarked I usually just go to the tag, sort for the shit that's rated E and then just read for a while 😅

Good argument! I'm the sort that loves to overanalyze literally everything about my fandoms, but I could totally see how so many moments being offscreen could be a draw to some fans!

Yeah! I have so many headcanons for the One Piece world. You could make a fan island that could have literally anything and it would technically be within the rules of canon. That being said, I wish the concepts of how seasonal islands work is explored more. Do bears that live on Summer islands not go into hibernation? Also, Little Garden raises tons of questions on how immunities work in One Piece. If an insect can infect Nami, can't it go the other way? If it went the other way, that we would be more dangerous to Little Garden wildlife than they would be to us (germ wise. They could still kill us in other ways.) There could be an entire civilization from there that was unknowingly wiped out by some pirates. Else does having so many pirates come through there help with herd immunity?

I know a lot of One Piece is just because it is cool. I'm still going to overthink it though.

The plot of the law and brook fic was basically a post-dressrosa conversation that followed the popular fan headcanon that Law was either okay with, or actively planning to die to take down Doffy. Brook talked about losing his crew and the value of life. It always stuck with me.

#ask tag #one piece

[oh-katsuki]

some of y’all gravely misunderstood what i said last night about fanfiction and the way people tend to be incredibly critical of it in a way that feels almost disrespectful. 

i was not saying in any way, shape, or form that fanfiction cannot be criticized / should not be criticized. it’s an art form worthy of being acknowledged the way any other art form is. it’s a learned skill, as with any creative craft, and criticism of it is absolutely valid. 

that being said, i was referring very specifically to a certain genre of criticism on here that is not constructive nor proper criticism, but rather an expression of opinion that cannot be properly articulated into actual criticism. i was referring specifically to a certain ideology prevalent on here that feels almost pretentious and often conflates personal opinion with objective good and bad. 

fanfiction, like any other creative pursuit, is an art form, which means that good and bad is relatively subjective if grammar, sentence structure, and writing prose are used properly. it also means that there is a correct way to critique and an incorrect way to critique that is directly correlated to being able to improve upon hearing it. if someone comes and says “this writing style is bad” and offers no other commentary, it’s not proper criticism, it’s a personal opinion and a disrespectful way to critique someone’s work. 

i work a lot with art, so critique and criticism is something that i’ve had a lot of experience with since it’s something that the art community does a lot in order to improve. i enjoy getting better at writing and improving upon what i wrote the day before. i regularly ask people to beta-read fics for me because i can learn from that experience and from their comments.

that being said, not everyone is like me. not everyone wants to get better even if it means hearing unsavory things about their work and that is completely fine and valid even if i don’t understand it. what is not fine is shouting an opinion that is often rude or vague from the rooftops about someone else’s work, disguising it as a critique, and disregarding the effort they already put in. 

part of criticism, at least from a creative improvement perspective, is acknowledging the process and work put in and saying something that will allow someone to improve off of it. the internet is a public place. if you are posting your work, it comes hand in hand with the idea that you will receive criticism. my argument is not that you should not think critically about fanfiction (partially because i think that doing that does a disservice to the author, but also because fanfic is still a valid form of writing in every sense). my argument is simply that critique in a fanfiction sphere should be offered respectfully and with the acknowledgement that most people do this for fun. 

this is obviously different within a professional sphere, but most of us are not professionals (yet at least) and that’s okay. some people do this for fun and that’s totally cool. making comments that make an entire community feel shitty is just not a cool thing to do and im not sure why that’s a topic of debate. 

i guess all im saying is that critique of fanfiction and fanficition trends are valid, but it’s important to remain respectful and still respect the craft itself and the time/effort someone put into it. 

#especially since people put this out there for free #read work critically... enjoy it and connect with it and analyze it.. that makes writer's SO happy #but also just be respectful? #there is a way to offer critique while still being kind / respectful and it's really not difficult #especially since this isn't a professional sphere.. so the concept of 'im doing it for your own good/practice' that typically flies with- #harsh art critics / book critics doesn #really apply the same way #unless there's been clear communication with an author that that is what they want #and even then... a lot of those harsher critics can lose credibility based off of how harsh their critique is and whether or not- #they can back up their claims with comparison of similar art genres.. art movements.. or techniques #so many critics have lost credibility based on that #so just #idk if im making sense #i guess my whole thing is like... be respectful #discourse

[raraeavesmoriendi]

I know I’m always muttering about this on twitter but I feel like I’ve seen enough frustrated grumbling on here to mention this now:

seeing a character you love mistreated in canon? is an excellent jumping off point for making your own OC/world/story and running with them

seriously. take the most basic parts of the person/the world that attracted you to them, and then add your own spice: what else would your ideal version of that character have? what fun little things do you like that you think they’d also be into? what motifs/symbolism/themes do you think would’ve been so perfect for your late blorbo from whatever that the version you fell for (now referred to as The Prototype) that were never applied?

the other really cool part is once you make your own, you get to apply shit no one would’ve associated with that character originally that you just think is neat, but maybe could’ve never justified in a canon-adjacent au fic or something like that. you have a weirdly specific interest in something that never comes up in the thing you’re doing better? boom, so does your little new scrimblo now. you want to set it in a different time period or country entirely? awesome, you can do that. we’re in space now? sure, let’s go for it.

then just take the part where your blorbo got done dirty and go “anyway fuck that, here’s what I’m doing” and there’s your plot to build your own world from. you need a monster? congrats, you get to make the monster. you need an antagonist (bc a monster and an antagonist are not necessarily the same)? make it make more sense and seem more well-thought out than what you got originally. you need a new specific thing/event that gets your blorbo in a room with other characters? cool, you get to make that and make them too.

not to mention? if you wanna make them actually gay or bi or ace or trans or disabled, and not just working off headcanons, you absolutely can 🤘🏻 and there will never be any interview with some well-meaning actor/writer/creator whatever that says otherwise, bc that shit is all you now, babeyyyy

don’t get me wrong, fix-it fics are great and in a whole a league of their own, and I respect them immensely. they do valuable transformative work and mean a lot to the people in fandom 🖤 if that’s what you need to do, do that and do that merrily.

I just wanted to say that (though I know I mostly talk about my OCs who bloomed out of love for a genre rather than anything more specific), as someone who has more than once seen their fave from some big media conglomerate get axed/character-assassinated and went “no ❤️”, I now have multiple (currently backburner) projects where I said “okay but here’s how I’m going to do this and do this properly,” and I have to say that making your own homemade blorbo from scratch

a. is insanely rewarding

and b. will probably be a much more interesting and varied version based on what’s usually allowed in a mainstream show/film/book etc. these days.

it takes a different kind of work than traditional fanfic (instead of clicking puzzle pieces into place, it’s more improvising on a recipe with a few basic generic ingredients), but as long as you distinguish your version to make it completely yours, it’s a deeply valid part of the creative process.

ultimately, do whatever you find most creatively fulfilling and go with that, it’s all for fun and what you get from your own work is more important. people in the mood for a puzzle aren’t always looking to wander off and bake, and that’s totally fine and understandable.

but the way I’ve seen more than a few of my moots write, I think their version they made entirely themselves would be so much better than a lot of big corporate stories by a multitude of ten 👀 js 🖤

#and then rarae says #creative stuff #creative process #storytelling #writing process #on original characters #I have some stories that I’ve literally been writing in different versions for decades #bc I saw a character I love get burned and then went ‘okay hold on I’m taking this skeleton and re-modeling the surface entirely #just to prove this is how they can be done right and well’ #spite can be a v powerful motivator #and I don’t think it’s a coincidence a bunch of us seem to have latched on to a particular little dude is all I’m saying #you guys could probably do it a million times better #so this is me giving that nudge if anyone needed it

[twosides--samecoin]

Happy Friday! What are your favorite types of scenes or tropes to write? What tropes do you avoid/will never write and/or what types of scenes do you find more challenging to write? 🙂

Well never say never, right? Tropes are tools. There are uses of them that are valid but I don't love. Take "one bed only". You read one story with that trope and it's the same thing every time across a lot of fic writers. That's not meant to be shady - their interest and want to write that trope is fine, it is popular for a good reason and I don't think less of people for it, it's not serious - but if I wrote it I would lean further into the humour, more in the Planes Trains and Automobiles or Seinfeld way than romantic.

Writing scenes and tropes reminds me a lot of writing different journalism beats, which is funny to me now because I felt so fish out of water doing creative writing for the fic. There's rules you have to operate in and then there's ways you can mess with the format when you know what you're doing (and, eh, when you have a cool editor, in the newsroom case lol). I'm always trying to stubbornly do the opposite of what's expected so I'm a lot more likely to take a trope that doesn't appeal to me and find a way to subvert it and make it fun!

So far nothing's been too challenging to write although I did accidental trauma processing while writing one scene and CRIED WHILE TYPINGGGGGG SDFKDJKLHSDKJLFH TYPING THROUGH TEARS IS CHALLENGING

#long time running #ask me anything